A WELCOMING ETHOS
“I have walked past the Parent House every day when taking my children to school, but it is only now that I have plucked up the courage to knock on the door.”
Safia
For many of us, first impressions are all important. So we do all we can to make sure every parent feels welcome. We have created a ‘house’ rather than an institution to make parents feel at home from the moment we greet them at the gate. The kettle is always on and there is often food to share. Through listening, valuing and welcoming each parent as an individual, we help them to recognise their potential.
Our welcoming approach is key and underpins everything that we do including our work in the community. Our Outreach programme, for example, empowers our parents to talk to other parents in local organisations or groups about their first-hand experience of using our service. This is often how parents find out about us. They also promote other services throughout the borough.
Parents are offered long-term encouragement, a sense of being listened to (sometimes for the first time in a long time), a sense of being taken seriously (often for the first time in their life), practical support and signposting to partner organisations. Many gain volunteering experience that allows for skills and experience to build a new self image, and a credible CV that they build on going forward.
Our areas of support work broadly falls into three strands: Wellbeing, Learning & Opportunity. Each one overlaps and complements the other. Parents may access one, two or all three of them, at the same or different times.